Process for the conversion of natural gas to reactive gaseous products comprising ethylene

A method for converting natural gas to reactive products, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• providing a feed stream comprising all or part of the natural gas stream;
• providing a burn stream comprising combustible material;
• conveying the feed stream and the burn stream to a reactor, wherein the burn stream is combusted with an oxidant, and the feed stream is heated by intimate mixing with the combustion products, to a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time that a product stream comprising reactive products, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen is formed;
• quenching the product stream;
• preparing an acetylene rich stream comprising carbon monoxide from the quenched product stream by intermediate processing, comprising separating at least one effluent stream comprising a non-acetylene component selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, light gases, syngas, ethylene, and combinations thereof, from the quenched product stream, and
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• and
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to reactive products, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• conveying the natural gas stream to a reactor wherein the natural gas stream is partially burned such that a portion of the natural gas is heated to a temperature adequate to produce hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and reactive products, said reactive products comprising acetylene;
• quenching the reactive products and hydrogen;
• preparing an acetylene rich stream comprising carbon monoxide from the quenched product stream by intermediate processing, comprising separating at least one effluent stream comprising a non-acetylene component selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, light gases, syngas, ethylene, and combinations thereof, from the quenched product stream, and
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• and
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to reactive products comprising ethylene, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• providing a feed stream comprising all or part of the natural gas stream;
• providing a burn stream comprising combustible material;
• conveying the feed stream and burn stream to a reactor wherein the burn stream is burned in a combustion section with an oxidant to heat the feed stream by intimate mixing with the combustion products to a temperature and for a time such that a reactive product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and reactive products is formed, said reactive products comprising acetylene;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to reactive products comprising ethylene, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• conveying the natural gas stream to a reactor wherein the natural gas stream is partially burned with an oxidant such that a portion of the natural gas stream is heated to a temperature sufficient to convert some of the natural gas to form a reactive product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and reactive products comprising acetylene;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting at least a portion of the acetylene rich stream with hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to ethylene and reactive products, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• providing a feed stream comprising all or part of the natural gas stream;
• conveying a burn stream comprising combustible material to a furnace wherein the burn stream is burned with an oxidant comprising oxygen;
• conveying the feed stream to a reactor wherein the feed stream is heated by indirect heat transfer with the combustion products of the burn stream and oxidant to a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reactive product stream comprising acetylene, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream, and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to ethylene and reactive products, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• providing a feed stream comprising all or part of the natural gas stream;
• conveying the feed stream to a reactor wherein the feed stream is heated using electrical power to a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reactive product stream comprising acetylene, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying a portion of the hydrogenation reactor effluent comprising ethylene to storage or further processing.

A method for converting natural gas to reactive products, comprising:

• providing a natural gas stream;
• separating from the natural gas stream at least a methane rich stream and a methane lean stream;
• providing a feed stream comprising light hydrocarbon gas or vapor;
• conveying the feed stream to a reactor wherein the feed stream is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reactive product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and reactive products comprising acetylene, ethylene, or both;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.

A method for converting gas comprising hydrocarbons to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:

• providing a feed stream comprising light hydrocarbon gas or vapor;
• conveying the feed stream to a reactor wherein the feed stream is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reactive product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and reactive products comprising acetylene, ethylene, or both;
• quenching the reactive product stream;
• separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream, said light gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;
• conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor;
• reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene;
• conveying an ethylene rich stream from the hydrogenation reactor to storage or further processing.